The “Blood Lust Death Tour” rolled into Worcester, Massachusetts on March 24, about as subtly as a monster truck rear-ending you. The show took place at the Worcester Palladium Upstairs, the smaller of the two stages at the venue. Immediately upon entering, I noticed that there were video screens up, which I’ve never seen upstairs, so I was intrigued from the minute I walked in.

Having gotten there right when doors opened, I was amongst the first few at the venue and got to see two bands open for the tour, which was a real treat. First up was Attraction to Tragedy. They were a young, energetic, three-member band who really got the night going. After their short set was Deprived. The drummer of Deprived is actually a tech for Combichrist and Dope, so it was great seeing him play with his own band; he was extremely talented, as were the rest of the band members. They got the crowd ready for the rest of theevening.

The crowd had gotten slightly larger by this point in anticipation of Davey Suicide, but since the band went on relatively early. They didn’t have as large an audience as their set demanded. This show was a special one for them because it was their official album release date. Davey Suicide gave an all-around strong performance that the audience responded to eagerly. A mosh pit formed towards the end of their set. There were some costume changes, which included different coats and a hat, adding to the fun. The band really gave it their all and the audience felt it. Their set was short but memorable.

September Mourning was up next. This band is actually a trans-media project, so I was really interested in seeing how the live show would go. The world of September Mourning exists in comic books, which the band brings to life onstage. While waiting for them to get on stage, I noticed a young kid eagerly reading his new September Mourning comic. He looked so excited and his energy was infectious. Their performance was mesmerizing. If there was any doubt that Emily Lazar sings live, this performance dispelled that completely; her mic kept going out, but – like a true professional – she powered through like nothing was happening, switched mics, and performed even harder to end the set on a higher note than on which it started. The kid I saw reading the comic looked like he had just won the lottery when their set was over.

By now, the room was full and ready for Combichrist to get on stage. Their set was one of the most crazy, high-energy performances I have ever seen. The screens lit up nice and bright and the band came out on stage and right into your face. The mosh pit started pretty much immediately. Combichrist has two drummers (something I’ve never seen live before) and the result was some serious percussion to the point that the floor of the balcony and the support beam I was leaning against were literally shaking and it was amazing. Combichrist was not subtle about any aspect of their performance. The vocals, guitar, bass, and drums were brutal from start to finish, but anything less would have been a major disappointment. It was a superb set from start to finish.

Dope rounded out the night with their high-quality performance, giving the audience exactly what they wanted. It’s no wonder that Dope has managed to make it to the level they have: they know exactly what they’re doing. It was one of the most interactive sets I have ever had the pleasure of watching live. The audience wanted to come, have fun, and forget their troubles; they got that and much more. Dope truly left their mark on everyone who saw them. They were the perfect end to an amazing show.

As terrific as this show was, it could have been ruined very easily by the band members themselves. I’m sure everyone has a horror story about meeting a musician they were excited to finally see live until they realized that the musician could care less about his or her fans. It wasn’t a problem with any of the band members I chatted with after their sets. All were extremely respectful and genuinely thankful to the fans for coming out to their shows.

I didn’t really go in with expectations to the “Blood Lust Death Tour”, but let’s be real: when the name of the tour is “Blood Lust Death”, you’re going to come to certain conclusions. What I got out of this tour stop was a fun night out getting to see all of the talented musicians in Dope, Combichrist, September Mourning, and Davey Suicide doing what they do best. I can honestly say that I genuinely enjoyed myself and will check out each of these bands the next time they come around my area.